The timeframe for a team to transition thru the four phases varies based on the size of the team and personalities of its members. It may take a few days or even several weeks. Any time a new member of a team is added the team, the phases of team development is restarted. This is where a matrix organization can run into trouble. Since members of a “matrix” team come and go throughout a project, a project team can in essence always be “restarting” back thru Tuckman’s team development cycle and never reach their maximum performance ability.
Let’s say an IT corporation has a project to install new video teleconferencing equipment and training at a client’s headquarters. The project manager will need support from logistics to procure the material, technical support to install the equipment, and training to provide the training. At the start of the project the project manager will only need resources from logistics. Until the material arrives, there is no need to have personnel from technical support and training assigned to the team (their time would be better utilized supporting other requirements until they are needed for the video teleconferencing project).
As the material begins to arrive, the technicians will then be assigned to the project team, thus changing the team dynamic and forcing the team to transition thru the phases of team development. Unless the team can quickly achieve the “performing” phase, there may be conflicts between the logisticians and technicians that can negatively impact the project. The above situation will occur again when it is time for the trainers to join the team.
So how can this risk be mitigated? The below list contains techniques and strategies that will assist matrix organizations with their team building challenges during the execution of a project.
1. Communication – This is the most important strategy that should be employed. The project manager must ensure that all members of the team, especially newly assigned members, are properly informed of all pertinent project information to include the team goals. There is nothing more frustrating to a newly formed team then to be left in the dark. Clear communication must also exist between team members. The project manager should ensure that the team does not ostracize newly assigned team members.
2. Chain of Authority – The project manager should ensure that all team members are clear as to the chain of authority. There should be no question as to who is in charge. Though the project manager is the one in charge of the project, there may be instances where lower level team members would report to a more senior member of the team instead of directly to the Project Manager. For example, a project that contains multiple software programmers may have the lower level programmers reporting to a senior programmer that in turn reports to the project manager.
3. Lanes of responsibility – A project manager may be able to mitigating some of the turf wars that can occur in the storming phase by providing each team member with clear lanes of responsibilities or a project specific job description. The project manager should also explain in detail the importance and impact of each team member’s role on the project.
4. Training – Nothing can slow down the progress of a team more than an untrained team member. Would a professional sports team perform at an optimal level if an untrained individual was added to the team? Of course not. Yet this seems to be commonplace amongst many organizations. Team members who are not yet ready to perform and contribute to a team should not be added to a project. Adding an untrained individual to the team will cause resentment amongst members and will impact quality and schedule. Instead the individual should be processed thru the organizations training program in order to learn the tools and techniques required to succeed. If the organization does not have a detailed training program for new employees, then it might be time to start one!